Of Sand and Snow
by What About Today
Summary: GaaraxOC Gaara was rescued by his first real friend, Naruto Uzumaki in more ways than one. Now can he pass on the assistance to another in need? My summary sucks more than a little, but come on people! Just give it a try! COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

GaaraxOC ... long... probly very long... rating to be safe, and there's also going to be some language later, more than likely.

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto or any of the characters from, I'd be one rich chick! Unfortunatly... No. I do, however own one particular team from Snow. They are my (and my friend's) creations. XD

Hi! this is my first fic on here, so don't kill me... Yes, I am new meat, but I've worked hard on this to get it fanfiction-worthy... I hope it is. I'm writing this with a friend of mine from school. He has nothing to do with the plot, and if he knew this was turning into a GaaraxOC story **he would destroy me.** Fortunatly, he is unaware. (so evil, so evil)

Enjoy! And please push that wonderful purple butten when you're through! Thanks!

**>> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > **

**-Part I-**

"Ready senseis?"

"Nearly,"

The young kunoichi took a deep breath. She let it out slowly, cherishing the cool, frozen air. She knew that her teammate and their student were waiting for her reply. She pressed the receiver button and muttered, "Now."

Almost before she said it, they all jumped into action. The Jonin could feel the familiar pools of chakra zigzagging through the trees in the distance. She went her own way, hardly noticing the dark of the moonless night, or the eerie stillness of the frozen forest. She was used to this place. She had grown up in this world of white and grey. This place was home, despite the kunoichi's hatred for nearly all of its inhabitants.

Her name was Ukuniki, Kira. The youngest Jonin ranked ninja from Yukigakure, and the most talented member of her small clan.

The mission was running like clockwork, as all the exercises before had gone. Everything was falling into place; the unknown targets were unaware of team closing in on their position.

Had Kira possessed any compassion for her student at all, she might have worried for him on his first mission. Unfortunately that consideration was far more than she could bear to give _anyone_, especially Masashi, the 13 year old Geniin from Hell that had been thrown upon Erokay and herself only one month previously.

Kazukei, Erokay was the other Jonin in the group. He was… well… How could Kira put it? A friend to her, perhaps? Dare she call him that? Friends were a dangerous luxury, one Kira didn't find worthy of the price. None the less, there were no other words to describe their relationship.

"Everyone in positions?" Kira asked into the receiver.

"Hai."

"Err, senseis? I think I'm lost."

"Kisse, Masashi! How could you do that?" Erokay sighed. "Didn't you grow up in this area?"

"Well, _yeah_, but I never paid attent-"

"Just stay where you are." Kira cut in coolly. "We'll complete the mission without you. This will not go to your credits."

Without another word Kira and Erokay jumped into motion again.

Simultaneously, they pounced on the strangers in their frozen wood from opposite directions.

There were three shinobi present. None seemed to be of the Jonin level, although one was obviously leading the other two.

"Shikamaru, we've got company!" started a short, fat boy as he dropped his bag of potato chips.

"Ahh, what a drag." The leader moaned.

"Ooh! _Hello_ there!" the girl shrieked in Erokay's direction. She was thin, and blond, with bright, lustful blue eyes. She flashed a smile at him and adjusted her skimpy top to flatter her sizable bust. "My name is Yamanaka, Ino. It is such a pleasure to meet you!"

Erokay walked around the blond without giving her a second glance. "You're in private Yukigakure land. State your reasons for trespassing, or face death."

The leader crossed his arms and sighed. "We're only here to deliver a message from our Hokage to your village lord. Just a troublesome mission, really. We're not even worth your time."

Erokay glanced at his teammate and nodded.

Kira cleared her throat. "You come from Konoha?"

"That's the one!" piped in the fat boy.

Kira nodded. "You will be stripped of all weaponry. Then we will take you into the village. You will listen to everything we say. Any attempt to disobey our instructions will earn you a one-way ticket to the next life. Understood?"

The boys nodded silently.

The girl called Ino crossed her arms impatiently. "Sure," she said, "But aren't you going to introduce yourselves first? It's only common manners." She gestured to the fat boy. "This is Choji. And this," she pointed at the leader. "is Nara, Shikamaru."

"Good for you." Erokay said.

Ino giggled flirtatiously for a bit before replying, "And what's _your_ name?"

"Erokay."

"_Truly a pleasure_, Erokay!"

"Kira." said Kira quietly.

The leaf ninja all looked at her.

"Charmed." muttered Ino as a scowl crept across her face, making it all too clear that she was_ not_ charmed in the slightest.

After a long moment of silently expressed hatred the group carried on with business. The leaf ninja's weapons were confiscated, and the snow Jonin escorted the visitors into the village as promised.

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"You shouldn't be too hard on Masashi," Erokay reasoned later that night as the sun began to creep up above the frosted ground. "It is only his first mission, after all."

"Hn." Kira scanned the lightening forest in a reluctant search for her and Erokay's student.

"Okay, I know. He is a bit loud, obnoxious and irresponsible sometimes, but it's who he is. It's not like we can change him. Not any more than you can change the fall to spring."

"He is not aloud to be irresponsible any more. He's a shinobi now. If he had been at the lead of the mission today, his team would've failed, and he could've been responsible for uncountable deaths. A shinobi that has no sense of direction is not a shinobi worth working with."

Erokay sighed. "I guess you're right. But direction can be taught. We'll just have to spend some time with him on it."

"Hai. Looks like you will."

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Yes, yes. I'm not too fond of Ino. Could you tell? Her team won't show up too much more... Actually, I'm not sure if you'll see them again at all, but I'll through them in again at some point if it works. The most of this whole thing will take place in Suna... Hmm... Snow ninja in the dessert? This could be really, _really_ bad idea... What do _you_ think???

Chapters wont come often for this particular story, because it takes me **ages** to get a chapter down on paper. It also may be quite a while before there's any real GaaraxOCness in here... My character will complicate life for those like me who are impatiant. So sorry, my friends!

Thankyou for reading this far!!!! It means so much to me! XD


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Not even a little.

Look people. I am updating this time to prove a point. **I need revews.** I will gladly take flames, "I hate it, stop", "good for you" whatever you like. I'm not spesific. All I want is for 5 people to revew. I don't think that's really asking too much. (concidering I currently have 0 revews regardless of the 23 hits I've had.) Come on people, **please?** Gaara's in the story, now. Are there any Gaara fangirls around here who are exited about that? I know I am in all my fangirl glory! Is there anybody with me?

All the same... Without any more ranting on my part and with no more adue: Here is chapter two! Enjoy! XD

**>> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >**

**-Part II-**

The young Kazekage's Mouth moved soundlessly in his sleep, his right arm blocking the hot dessert sun out of his eyes, his left stretched out across the desk. His pale lips curled upwards a fraction at something only he could see. Crimson locks of hair fell messily in front of his trademark tattoo/scar.

A gourd with a strap tied around the middle was leaning against the far wall next to a comfortable plaid love-seat. On the other side of that was a brass stand-up floor lamp for reading in the evenings. An old cedar chest sat in front of the love-seat filling the need for a coffee table. A dark blue throw was draped over one end of the love-seat for warmth in the chilly dessert nights.

On the next wall, to the Kazekage's right was a pair of spotless French doors that opened out to a small balcony. It was there that the Kazekage spent most of his many sleepless nights, looking out at the endless sand dunes underneath the crystal clear, star filled sky.

The remaining wall was empty save for the door to the hallway and an enormous antique tapestry of the village of Suna and its surrounding areas.

The Kazekage murmured something inaudible as he shifted in his not-so-comfortable napping position.

The previous years had been long and restless, more so even than his fifteen years of sleepless agony, as the Kazekage tried desperately to give his people reasons to trust him. This, of course was to little or no avail. The residents of Suna still remembered all too well the demonic child, who had on numerous occasions viciously attacked their children at play. They were far from trusting the young Kazekage, despite his and his siblings' greatest efforts.

The Kazekage's lips curled upwards a little more as he said something, perhaps a name out loud. He turned his head to a more comfortable position on the smooth, cold desk top. Little did he know his peace would be interrupted any moment by is sister, four years his senior, who would bring him a message telling of something that could very possibly change his already dynamic life forever.

At that moment, Temari opened the study door and came inside. "Gaara-san! I have a message from Konoha for-" She stopped suddenly.

The young Kazekage rubbed his eyes sleepily and lifted his head to glare at his sister.

"S-sorry Gaara-san," Temari smiled weakly. "I forgot to knock. I'm not used to you ever sleeping, since you never did before…" She trailed off. She had sucsessfully hit that tender subject. The demon Shikaku that had once resided inside the Kazekage's body was the last thing Temari wanted to bring up in front of her youngest brother. He had had it especially rough lately, so the blond didn't want to make his day any worse than it had doubtlessly turned out to be already.

Gaara nodded in acceptance of the hurried apology. "You were saying?"

Temari jumped. "Oh! Yes.… I was just saying Konoha sent a message for you regarding the smaller shinobi villages the Hokage wishes to make alliences with. She wants Suna to take part in her plans."

The Kazekage nodded again. "What dose she want us to do?"

"She's already sent for a team from one of the villages to come to Suna. She expects us to find a mission for them."

The Kazekage sighed. "So we have to accept at this point, then?"

The blond nodded grimly. "It seems we have no choice in a lot of things these days. Your predecessor was too corrupt to see what his alliances would do to his village."

"We can repair the damage." The Kazekage said. "Suna will shine again before I hand down the leadership. I swear it."

Temari smiled. "I know Gaara-san."

"One last thing,"

"Yes?"

"Where is this team coming from?"

"Yukigakure."

"Fine. That's all."

Temari left.

The Kazekage sighed. Couldn't that woman leave Suna alone for once? The village had been forced to make an unconditional surrender when Orichimaru back-stabbed the former Kazekage, literally. _Nothing can come of this but trouble._ The Kazekage predicted grimly. _But it's too late to stop it now_.

>> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >

Even if you hate it, Please revew. Constructive critisizm would be greatly appretiated. Say anything at all! Just say **something.** PLEEEEEEEASE??? Thanks! Later! XD

PS- I had a good moment yesterday with this story, so if anyone wants me to continue it, I'll be able to update more often than I thought...


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Not even a little.

Squee!!! I finally got revews! I'm so happy!!!! This chapter is all for you,

JVOP

for being my wonderful revewer! Many thanks!

This is the last chapter of scene-setting I hope. I really want to get into the more exiting stuff soon, because I can never seem to get there in the first three chapters. Style flaw I think, but oh well. So without any further adue: Here's part three! Enjoy!

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**-Part 3-**

"Alright! An 'A' rank mission!" Masashi shouted as he danced in circles around his teachers on the main street of Yukigakure. "Who's bad? I'm bad!"

"Control yourself or I will leave you here." Kira muttered to the Geniin.

Erokay grinned, his hands folded casually behind his head as he walked between the arguing teens.

"You can't do that to me!" Masashi exclaimed.

"Don't try me, boy. I'm your sensei; I can do as I please!"

"Whatever."

"Masashi," Erokay warned. "She is your superior, and she's right. Treat her with the respect she deserves, or you really will be left home."

"Sorry, Sensei." The Geniin grumbled.

Kira was already reading the manila folder the lord of Yukigakure had handed her not even fifteen minuets previously.

"So," said Erokay as he glanced over her shoulder. "What's the deal?"

"Basically, we have to find out how generous Konoha's alley, Suna is. We report everything that happens to us to the village superiors, and they decide which side to take in the war." The young Jonin's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"What is it?"

Kira thought for a moment. "It's way too easy to be 'A' rank. What's the catch?"

The slightly older Jonin grinned. "Who cares? We're going out of town! Look, consider it a vacation, okay? We don't get enough of those anyway."

Kira didn't answer.

"Okay," began Masashi. "We meet at the west gate at sunrise, right senseis?"

"Hai." Erokay answered. "And don't be late. Goodnight all."

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Kira pondered the upcoming mission for hours that night. She ran the directions to Suna and the layout of the foreign village through her mind again and again.

Of all the things to keep the Kunoichi up late into the night, the most pressing issue was the rank of the mission. Some detail, something imperative was escaping her grasp. There was something deeper going on than what could be read in that manila folder. Kira could feel it. A foreboding tingle was creeping up her spine, dispite her greatest efforets to keep it at bay.

Whatever happened, one thing was certain. This mission the dessert was not going to be like a vacation by any stretch of the imagination. Not in the slightest.

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R&R please! Any kind of revew will be greatly appretiated. Flames are welcome! Anything is welcome! XD I'm hoping to get the next chapter to you ASAP. okay? Thankyou tons!

Just a little note: Erokay is the oldest. He's 16 or 17 or something like that. Kira is 14, and Masashi is 13. That would be why those two don't get along too well. They're too close in age and too far apart in rank. That would also be why Masashi has more respect for Erokay than Kira. He thinks of her as more of an equal because he's only a few months younger than her.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: not even a little...

Hello again! this chapter is all for my wonderful revewers:

JVOP

stargazer101

lovefatedestiny

Everlasting thanks! Now it is time for the main characters to meet each other! Finally! XD Enjoy!

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**-Part IV-**

"Gaara-san?" Temari poked her head around the door into the Kazekage's study.

The crimson haired shinobi looked up from the enormous stack of paperwork piled up haphazardly on his desk.

"The snow shinobi team has arrived. Should I find something to do with them, or what?"

The young Kazekage massaged his throbbing temples with his pale fingers. "No, you'd better send them here."

"Okay." Temari left, sighing. She couldn't help but wonder why her youngest brother chose to put so much unnecessary weight on his own shoulders. Yes, he _was_ the Kazekage, and he_ could_ handle it, but he was only fifteen. He shouldn't have to do so much a on his own. She sighed again and set out to locate the foreign team.

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The Kazekage sighed as his sister closed the door behind herself. _So much for relaxing anytime this week,_ he thought pessimistically. _Between all this paperwork and the Hokage breathing down my neck it'll be a miracle if I don't end up killing anyone!_ As no one was around to see it, Gaara allowed himself a small smile. _But then, that's exactly what everyone in Suna is afraid of, isn't it?_

He made himself promise to avoid going homicidal on the Yukigakure team at all costs as he turned reluctantly back to the hopelessly large pile of wavers for this years' new Geniin.

_How could there possibly be a need for four hundred hand-written and Kazekage reviewed and signed wavers? There weren't even as many as forty graduates in any given year, probably less than thirty this year!_

The sand shinobi was still silently cursing the first Kazekage for his senseless school program design when his older brother knocked and stepped over the threshold of the study door simultaneously.

"Yo, Gaara-san!" Kankouro's grin widened in response to his brother's infuriated glare. "I brought you those snow-nin you wanted!" He snorted when the Kazekage's left eye twitched angrily. "Take it easy, the chick's hot! Ha, ha! I'll just send them in then."

He left.

Seconds later his presence was replaced by three of the most unusual shinobi Gaara had ever seen. It could have been their heavy clothing that made them so peculiar, or perhaps their identical pallor, both doubtlessly being results of utterly short days in the frigid northern climate. The most intriguing characteristic Gaara initally noiced was the difference between the three's expressions.

The first to walk into the study was the tallest of the trio. He had very dark, very short hair that seemed unnaturally so, held up against the whites and grays of the rest of him. He gazed around the study, a look of polite distaste etched across his long, thin face. When his dark eyes met Gaara's, the distaste morphed into surprise then slowly confusion, as if he expected someone very different in the red desk chair.

The second shinobi was much younger, and shorter than the first. His hair was non-existent, save for a small red lock at the back of his neck that was braided clumsily and held in place by an even smaller wooden bead. He looked around the room at his new surroundings with a smile that suggested he could have been a very unfortunate child peering into a toy-store window at some amazing new creation that would always be just beyond his reach. He stared at each of the Kazekage's possessions in turn. When his eyes finally drifted towards the crimson-haired shinobi he gasped, covering his mouth with pure wonder shining in his ignorant light green eyes.

"He's younger than you, Erokay-sensei!" the boy whispered ecstatically to his older companion.

The third and final visitor into the room was a kunoichi. She had medium length ice-blue hair, most of which was tied in a black clip behind her head, although some shorter strands fell around and in front of her fair, rounded face. She did not look around her as she came in. Instead, she glared at the younger of the two boys near to her, as if daring him to do something embarrassing, and face the consequences. Then she glanced at the other shinobi for a split-second before turning her gaze to the Kazekage. Her dark grey eyes might have flickered in surprise at his youth, but she showed no other emotions towards Gaara. She simply stared at him coldly, almost as if expecting something of him that he couldn't quite see.

It was Gaara who broke eye contact first. He cleared his throat and welcomed the team to Suna.

"Thank you, Kazekage-sama," said the older boy, his low voice cracking slightly at the honorific. "We really appreciate your hospitality."

Gaara nodded. "You seem to be surprised to see a young Kazekage, am I correct?"

It was the younger shinobi who answered. "Oh, yes sir!" he exclaimed. "I didn't know someone younger than Erokay-sensei could ever be a Kage! You must be one incredible shinobi!"

"Masashi!" The dark haired shinobi hissed.

"Thank you." Gaara replied. "I take it you have acquainted yourselves with my siblings?"

Masashi nodded energetically.

"You will be boarding with them while you stay here. I don't want to hold you here too long, I'm very busy, but I must know some things before I can let you leave to your supper. First, I'll need your names and ranks."

The oldest of the team stepped forward first. He looked at the wall behind the Kazekage, rather than at him as he spoke. "I'm Kazukei, Erokay. Rank: Jonin and I'm the leader of this team." He stepped back.

The kunoichi, who had until this point remained silent stepped forward next. She looked straight into the Kazekage's eyes. Her stare, if it was possible, was a degree colder than before. "Ukuniki, Kira. Rank: Jonin." Her voice was as cold and flat as her gaze, which again didn't leave Gaara's until he broke eye contact.

The youngest of the Yukigakure team stepped forward last, saluting the Kazekage almost comically. "The name's Masashi, Geniin ranked, at your service!" He grinned, and stepped back.

"May I have your status pages too?"

Erokay handed the Kazekage a small white envelope. "It's all in there, Kazekage-sama."

Gaara nodded. "Welcome. If you need anything while you are here, my siblings can usually assist you. Rest well; there is always much to do in the early morning hours." The Kazekage looked up and down the line of these strange new shinobi. "Dismissed."

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R&R If you would be so kind? I will welcome constructive critisizm with open arms! By the way, is Kankouro ooc? I really can't tell... Thanks! Later!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Not even a little.

Hello all! Sorry I haven't updated. I meant to write this about a week ago, but I fell head-first into the world of Harry Potter. lol This chapter is SO much shorter than I originally intended, but all the same... Thankyou to:

avatar-chik

stargazer101

JVOP

For revewing last chapter! So here's Part 5! Enjoy!

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**-Part V-**

"Man! Masashi exclaimed one afternoon three days after the Yukigakure team arrived in Suna. "The days are so long here! I mean, the sun goes down, and before you know it, everybody's going to bed! It's wild!"

Did you expect anything less?" reasoned Erokay. "This is a different part of the world."

"But _everything's_ different here! Like the Kazekage's like this _kid_ and they eat completely different stuff and it's like _hot_ here during the day and _cool_ at night! Did you notice _that_, Erokay-sensei?"

The older snow-nin smiled. "You like it here?"

Masashi thought for a moment. "You know what, sensei? I don't know. Hmmm…"

"Well I don't like it." Erokay stated promptly. "The shinobi here are untrustworthy." He seemed to loose himself in his thoughts for a moment before adressing his teammate. "Hey, Kira?"

The icy kunoichi looked at Erokay for the fist time since Temari introduced her to The Village in the Dessert- A Brief History of Sunagakure, a dusty old three-inch thick volume with faded words and a few pages missing. "What?"

"Do you like it here?"

She looked at him as if he had asked her something disgusting and insane. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing! I mean do you like Suna? You know, like the weather, the people, the village. What do you think of it all?"

"Dose it matter?"

"Well, not really, but-"

Erokay's sentence was cut off abruptly when something flew through the coffee-shop window, shattering the glass. It landed with a sickening thump on an empty table, knocking it to the highly polished floor.

The stuffy old shop owner burst out of the kitchen shrieking, "What'd you filthy northerners do to my café?!" She stopped dead when she reached the dining area. "What the-"

It took about a second for the shinobi present to realize what the flying object had been. A man was lying on the café floor in a pool of his own blood; at least, it _used_ to be a man. The remains were unspeakably mutilated. His face had been ripped off, revealing a bloody mass of tangled insides that was undoubtedly his brain. His arms were twisted terribly in awkward positions, and one of his legs was gone completely. A deep gash ran across his full torso, revealing most of his pearly white, shattered ribs. It was still gushing dark, sticky blood.

Erokay looked away, appalled.

Masashi had turned an odd greenish color, and looked like he would never be able to eat again.

The coffee shop owner fainted the moment her eyes met the figure.

Kira merely glared at the carnage. "We have a problem." Her voice was just as flat, as emotionless as it had ever been. She seemed completely un-fazed by the horrific scene before them.

"You can say that again." Erokay said to the far wall, unable to look at the dead man again.

For once, Masashi was silent.

"Whoever, or whatever killed him, didn't just kill him. It annihilated him in every sense of the word. His soul was even ripped to shreds. "

No one asked how Kira knew that. However, Masashi's face went from green to a blotchy grey, and Erokay could not pretend that he himself wasn't feeling a bit squeamish at the thought.

"Who was he?" the older boy managed.

"It doesn't matter." Kira's voice was smooth, but cautious. "It's a warning."

"A warning?" Masashi squeaked, his voice hardly audible.

"What dose it mean?" Erokay looked at his teammate, studying her expressionless face for any sign that suggested she might be feeling the same foreboding vibes that were unearthing in him. He saw nothing in her eyes.

Kira took a deep breath, eyes still fixed on the corpse at her feet. "I don't know," She concluded gravely. "But I'm going to find out."

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I hope that was a decent start to the action? I wanted to have a big fight scene here but it didn't fit with the start of the chapter... Any-who, R&R if you please!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Not even a little...

Hello again! I'm in such a good mood today! I want to thank you all for reading this far! I'm so exited to get things moving, aren't you?

As always, specail thanks to my wonderful revewers:

stargazer101

avater-chik

JVOP

And, so, With no further adue: Part 6! Enjoy!

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**-Part VI-**

The Kazekage groaned. _As if I didn't have enough to do!_ He seethed to himself. _Now I have to deal with this?!_ He glared at the horribly mutilated body of a sand shinobi and shuddered involuntarily.

Lying on the Kazekage's small study balcony was one of two almost identical blood-gushing corpses that had appeared to the Kazekage's great disgust just after lunch time that very day.

The hot sun was setting behind the large dunes of dessert sand, throwing the day's final hour of light across the open sky burning crimson red- like Gaara's short, spiky hair- like blood.

The Kazekage turned away from the carnage, feeling rather nauseous, although it wasn't the physical gore that made him cringe. To believe that would be considered laughable: He, himself had had a very gory past, due, of course to the uncontrollable monster that used to reside inside his body.

No, it wasn't the dark, sticky substance staining the balcony floor that made Gaara so uneasy. There was an indescribably and sickeningly evil aura surrounding the figure, lingering from whatever unknown technique was used to kill the person sprawled out across the balcony. An aura that the Kazekage had never felt anything like before.

Someone outside the study knocked on the door tentatively.

"Enter." said Gaara.

The door opened slowly and the Yukigakure team entered, single file. They stood in front of the Kazekage's desk exactly as they had only three days before, although much had changed.

Erokay didn't glance around, but looked straight at the Kazekage, trying to seem impassive, but worry shimmered in his dark eyes. Masashi gnawed on his upper lip, his face taking on a greenish hue. Kira seemed to be thinking hard, her grey eyes narrowed with some unspoken theory, or perhaps fear.

The Kazekage cleared his throat. "Do you know why you are here, solders?"

"Because we discovered the body?" Erokay's voice took on a forced calm, though his eyes glimmered with panic.

"One of a pair,"

Masashi swallowed down a gasp. Erokay cleared his throat nervously. Kira stood so rigidly still, the Kazekage wondered despite himself if she was even breathing.

"The other," the Kazekage continued, "was discovered on my study's balcony."

"Do you think we have something to do with it, sir?" Masashi asked in a very small voice.

"You tell me." The Kazekage stared at each of these shinobi in turn, waiting for an answer. Seconds ticked away.

"K-Kira said that the person w-we saw's soul was…" Masashi couldn't seem to finish his sentence. He swallowed hard and looked at his feet.

The Kazekage looked expectantly at the icy kunoichi.

She stared at Gaara, her eyes no longer narrowed with deep thought. She held her tongue.

Gaara stared back. He would not be the one to look away this time. He needed answers, and he was prepared to stare at this strange girl all night if he had to. She would tell him. He'd make sure of that.

Finally, the silence was broken, not by Kira, as the Kazekage had expected, but by Erokay, who couldn't seem to look at his teammate, nor the Kazekage as he spoke. "The soul was ripped up." He managed through gritted teeth. He glanced at Kira for a moment, but looked away the instant she met his gaze. "'His soul was even ripped to shreds' she said."

"Explain." The Kazekage turned to Kira again.

"Show me the second corpse." It was a condition.

Gaara had to admit, he couldn't figure this team out, particularly the kunoichi, who even now, stared at the Kazekage with those cold dark grey eyes. "Fine."

The Kazekage led the snow-nin out through the clean french doors.

Kira stared unblinkingly at the bloody figure. Her teammate and student couldn't seem to look at it at all, and the Kazekage certainly would have rather stayed far away from the aura that rested on his stone balcony. Still, he looked at Kira, as unblinking as her, waiting for her to speak.

Finally, Kira looked up from the carnage and out across the last of the day's crimson light. "I have seen enough." She said simply.

"And?" Prompted Masashi.

"It would be best if I have a private conference with Kazekage-sama now."

"You don't want us to know, Kira-sensei?" Masashi almost seemed a little hurt.

"Erokay and I have already discussed my reasons for this." Kira turned to face the Kazekage. "Are we in agreement?"

Gaara sighed. "Erokay, Masashi, You are dismissed."

The boys left in silence, and an air of uneasiness followed the Kazekage and Kira back into the study.

"Explain." Gaara ordered for the second time that evening.

The snow kunoichi took a deep breath. "These killings are connected, as you have doubtlessly already deducted, sir. The form of killing is a brutal, forbidden ninjitsu, the name of which I will not divulge."

The Kazekage nodded, expectantly.

"This ninjitsu is forbidden because of what the master of it is capable of achieving. When one truly masters this ninjitsu, he is capable of denying another's soul passage to the next life. This is done by tearing the soul in half, or even into more pieces than that, as has been done here. The soul is destroyed in a way that no other attack can suffice."

The Kazekage nodded again. "Anything else?"

Kira thought for a moment. "It will be necessary to kill the perpetrator before he kills more than four others."

"Four?"

"These killings have very specific meanings, Kazekage-sama."

The Kazekage felt as though he would drown in the girl's deep grey eyes if he stared into them much longer. Still, he refused to look away.

"I have reason to believe the first was for acknowledgment from you that this ninja, whoever he is, is a threat to your village. The second was a warning; it seems, for other villages to not interfere."

"Yes, but why four, particularly?"

"People who use these kinds of jitsu always work in sevens. There will be six lesser killings before the main event. All of these lesser killings will take place in some time frame of seven, such as seven minuets, hours, days, or even months or years."

"I see. Do you have a suggestion as to how to solve this efficiently?"

The snow kunoichi shook her head, still as emotionless as ever, her stone-like eyes never leaving his.

The Kazekage nodded again. "And how, pray tell, do you know all this?"

Kira didn't answer, but glared at the Kazekage, her eyes drilling into him as if he had asked her a very rude and _very_ personal question.

"Fine," Gaara concluded. "If that is all you have to tell me you are dismissed."

>> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Gaara pondered all this new information late into the night. All the private conference with the snow kunoichi seemed to gain the young Kazekage was more questions. _Why is someone killing my people in this forbidden way? What are that kunoichi, Kira's reasons for wanting to speak with me without her teammates? And how could a young kunoichi from a tiny village know so much about such a dark ninjitsu?_ The crimson-haired shinobi vowed to get to the bottom of this, all the while keeping a watchful eye on the quite, cold foreign kunoichi and her odd companions.

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I don't think Kira has **ever** said this much in one sitting in her entire life! She's not much of a talker. lol

So sorry for this chapter, people. It was _so long_ and not a lot happened. Well, I mean, stuff did happen, just not much action. R&R all the same, if you would be so kind?


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Not even a little.

Hey, all! I'm back! Are you glad to see me? (silence) Fine! I see how it is!

I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter… it was almost 2 separate ones actually, but it was so disgustingly short, I had to add to it. Now… it's long…_ real_ long. As always I thank my wonderful reviewers for doing what they do best!

JVOP

lovefatedestiny

avatar-chik

Ugly.Beautiful

Now… On with the chapter!

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**-Part VII-**

Kira's footsteps rang in her ears: the only sound in the deserted street, save for her rapidly pounding heart, as she raced towards the northern gate where thick, raven-black hued smoke billowed into the unbelievably blue sky.

The young Jonin understood what must be taking place at the village's edge. The knowledge only quickened her steps and kicked her adrenaline into full throttle.

She reached her destination and skidded to a halt, hurriedly surveying the scene.

_Seven, nineteen… fifty or more_ shinobi dressed all in white, with matching masks were storming the gate with no more than twenty or so of Suna's own for opposition. Among those Kira spotted her teammate and student, fighting like they belonged there, like they had lived in the sand village their entire lives.

Erokay ripped open a scroll, sending more smoke, silver hued, into the thick, hot afternoon air, summoning his most prized possession: Kurima, a doll built of solid dry ice wearing a dress of the soft, muted colors of the Aurora Borealis: the northern lights. Directing the attention of several white-clad shinobi, Kurima began to fight with such grace; she seemed more like a ballet dancer then a deadly weapon.

Even Masashi was holding his own. The boy pulled an array of letter bombs out of gods-know-where, blowing everything in reach to smithereens, sending a few white-clad shinobi to the next life, and others still diving for cover.

Kira ran into the thick of the battle, pulling a small, aluminum canister from her pocket, fingers falling into familiar hand signs all the while. When she reached a good spot, one thick with enemies she threw the canister into the air, followed be a single shuriken. The canister burst part when the small weapon punctured its side. Water spitted out, freezing instantly as the snow Jonin made one final hand sign and murmured, "Ice Style: Deadly Rain Jitsu."

The frozen water curled together into one thousand tiny, razor-sharp icicles, swirling around the kunoichi majestically, stabbing and cutting and slashing at all nearby enemies. It bent to Kira's will, molding itself into a variety of arsenal. Kunai, shuriken, axes, scythes, senbons, knifes, kunai again, then finally, the ice rested as a pair of shimmering curved swords in the snow-nin's hands. She wielded them like an expert, slashing and stabbing her enemies, three or five at a time, silvery-blue chakra surrounding the blades, willing them to become sharper, stronger, and more dangerous.

"K- Kira-sensei!" Masashi shouted over the roar of more explosives. "I'm almost out! There's too many!"

"Calm yourself," Kira's eye's shinned with triumph as she continued. "You will receive a lesson on battle tactics this evening. Remember who you are, find the solution." She swung her blades with unimaginable expertise even as she spoke. "Failure is never an option. Understood?"

"Hai, sensei!" The boy yelled, dodging several kunai. He spun around and fired the last of his arsenal into the thickest collection of enemies visible.

"Fool!" Erokay laughed madly, as a particularly large white-clad shinobi tried and failed to break Kurima. "She is indestructible!" The doll's beautiful face was the last thing the masked shinobi saw before his life was ripped away from him in a flash silvery light.

>> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> 

The battle ended almost as abruptly as it had begun. The Suna medical ninja counted their losses, and disposed of the enemy corpses.

The Kazekage strapped his enormous gourd across his back, feeling pleased with his village's accomplishments for the day. The casualties were minimal, and fifty-three enemy bodies had been accounted for thus far.

The crimson haired shinobi rounded the corner, sighing to himself. Suna was not attacked by this large a group of shinobi every day. _One more thing to add to the 'To Investigate List' for the month._ He thought, sighing again.

As he walked past the most energetic part of Suna, absorbed by his musing, he almost didn't notice the eerie silence about the usually bustling neighborhood. _Almost._ He stopped on a dime, surveying the street with a full three-sixty degree sweep.

_Nothing._ Nobody was anywhere to bee seen. No mothers attending to their children, no fathers walking home from a day of work, no arguing kids running from house to house looking for a favorite toy. Some things were to be expected, after the day's events, but Gaara couldn't help but wonder why he saw no kids peering out windows waiting- preying for their parents to come home soon, to tell them it would all be alright. The street was completely deserted.

_Tug, tug._

The young shinobi would have jumped, had he not had a strong, tough Kazekage reputation to keep up. Instead, he turned calmly around to face whoever or whatever had been tugging on the back of his coat.

Standing in front of him, looking terrified, was a tiny boy, who could not be any older than five years. He had short, filthy brown hair and large, matching eyes. He looked up at the Kazekage as if he was some kind of god, or perhaps a super hero. The child, Gaara realized, was too young to remember what his Kazekage had once been.

"Please, Kazekage-sama, sir," The boy pleaded in a small, timid voice. "I- I-" He trailed off.

"What is it?" Gaara leaned forward, so to hear the small boy better.

"I- I can't f-find my sis-sis…" He instantly burst into panic-stricken, choking tears.

"You're looking for your sis… sister?"

The child nodded frantically, tears flying off of his dirty cheeks.

"Okay." _I can do this._ He promised himself. _Then his parents will see that I'm not off my nut anymore!_ He glanced around him. "Can you tell me what she looks like? Or maybe where you live?"

"Sh-she's got b-brown hai-air and big round g-glasses."

_That's a start._ "Anything else?"

The child nodded. "She's b-bigger th-than me and her na-ame is Jihero."

The Kazekage nodded. "Do you know where you were when you saw her last?"

He shook his head and squeaked, "After nap-time, sh-she was g-gone!"

"Let's go find her." Gaara stet off, a man on a mission, with the little kid tailing just behind him.

The child bounced forward, jogging slightly to keep up with the Kazekage's purposeful stride. He slid his small, dirty hand into Gaara's, squeezing it tight.

The crimson haired shinobi's eyes widened slightly at the gesture, but curled his fingers protectively around the small boy's hand, as if he had comforted children this way many times- as if he had _ever_ held _anyone's_ hand to comfort them before.

"My name's Judo." The boy said, no longer crying or stuttering. He acted as though he were talking to Super Man, not Kazekage Gaara, the one who used to kill people for no reason. "You're my hero, Kazekage-sama. You always save everyone." He smiled up at the older boy, who was so surprised he nearly forgot to walk. "I want to be just like you when I'm big."

The Kazekage didn't smile, it was against his character, but as he looked at this tiny kid, he _almost_ allowed one to play across his lips. His face remained impassive, but his aqua-marine hued eyes shined with the closest thing anyone had ever seen to sane happiness in him. That was close enough.

When they reached the center of the village, Judo's smile faded, only to be replaced by a look of pure horror at the sight that met the pair's eyes.

A small, horribly mutilated figure swung by its neck from the arm of the bronze statue of the first Kazekage, dripping thick, dark blood.

Gaara's heart fell into the pit of his stomach when his eyes met the carnage. _A child!_ He exclaimed to himself, fury mixed with panic burning inside his chest. _How dare that bastard kill a child!_ His anger grew more powerful; more defined when he realized the corpse had brown hair.

Gaara dropped Judo's hand to avoid breaking it, and then stormed into the center of the silent circle of people who had gathered around the statue, horror-stricken. He climbed onto the statue's stone base and cut the girl's body down himself. He almost dropped her; the aura he had recently learned to equate with one's soul being ripped was heavy and suffocating. However, he stepped down off of the stone and laid her down gently on the brick paved street.

The Kazekage's people stared at him from all directions, waiting with bated breath for his response to the crime. No one moved, except for little Judo, who pushed his way though the crowd, screaming, "It's not her! It can't be her! Jihero! JIHERO!" Te boy reached the corpse and fell to his already scabbed knees. "Sister…" he whispered, tears streaming down his face in a steady, heavy flow.

Gaara took a deep breath, looking away from the child, pained. "This is an injustice beyond comprehension," He began, barely containing his rage. "Children not only hold the future in their hands, but natural, pure integrity and loyalty and… and love as well. It is worse than I feared." He admitted almost to himself. "Be assured, my people, that _every_ measure will be taken to prevent this disaster from _ever_ reoccurring. An investigation will be held to locate and bring to justice this _fiend_ who has committed this crime. I ask that if anyone has any information regarding this murder, that they visit me in my study at any time of day or night. I will be there. I want to see all of the Jonin ranked or higher immediately. We _will_ get to the bottom of this." _Some things take precedence over others._ "Disperse!" he commanded.

People hurried in different directions to spread the word. Soon Judo and Gaara were the only ones left in the square.

Gaara knelt down next to the sobbing boy and murmured, "I'm sorry."

Judo sniffed then looked into his most admired Kazekage's angry eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but found that he couldn't, so instead he though his arms around the older boy's waist, burrowing his head into the crimson haired shinobi's chest.

The young Kazekage gasped, but wrapped his arms around the sobbing form, preying to the gods that that was what he was supposed to do. _How can life be so unkind to this village?_ He asked himself. _If anyone should have died today, it should have been me, not a little girl._

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-sniff- I kinda hate myself a little right now. I wanted Gaara to help little Judo find his big sister and have everything be okay, but alas, I couldn't do that… Damn, now I'm depressed. Maybe I'll write a Judo spin-off someday to make up for it… Hmmm….

Speaking of spin-off (and on a much lighter note) does anybody want to hear more about Kurima? (Erokay's favorite weapon) I don't think I'm going to be able to fit it in here, but she has this whole back story thing. If anyone's curious, let me know! I could put it up as a bonus chapter.

Hey, was Gaara OOC? I hope not… By the way, does anyone know if he still caries the gourd of sand after his demon is sucked out of him? As always I would love to read your reviews if you care to send me one! Thanks! Later! XD


	8. Chapter 75

Disclaimer: I don't own it... **yet.** I keep looking on EBay, but I can never find it for less than a few million…

Hello again everybody! I'm so glad you're here! Let's cut right to the chase: I'm having trouble because everything in here is so dark. It's not my style. My characters aren't usually as hard to work with as Kira eather. Therefore, I'm adding in a bonus chapter for my own entertainment. I had a _**blast**_ writing it, so I hope you get half as much entertainment out of it as I did! _Italics are always me._ Regular is (in this case) Erokay.

As always, I have undying gratitude towards my reviewers:

The Intelligence and Violence

avater-chik

Laur3 Sincl4ir

Thank you again! Also this is one very happy day for me! I now have a grand total of 20 reviews! That's amazing!!!

I'll stop talking now... Enjoy everyone! Later! XD

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**-BONUS CHAPTER-**

Hi everybody! Erokay here!

_And, of course, I'm here too!_

What are you doing here, WhatAboutToday?

_I'm __**everywhere.**__ I am the writer after all._

But this is **my** bonus chapter! My Kurima, My back story, **my chapter!** So get lost!

_Hey, you'd better be nice to me, boy. I'm the writer, I have powers over you. I know the secrets of this story, and if you piss me off, I have the power to **kill **__**you**__ off!_

I don't believe you! You're not even a ninja! I'll beat you!

_Not if I write you to loose._

You wouldn't do that to me! I'm your favorite character!

_You wish. You're not even __**my **__character. Freddy made you up._

Exactly! You wouldn't kill off your friend's character, would you?

_Frankly, I don't care. He hasen't read most of this anyway. And __**you**__ might belong to him, but__** Kurima**__ is all my design._

(gasps) You can't! She's indestructible!

_That's what __**you**__ think. Every good weapon has one good weakness. And I know what hers is. I could… maybe tell Kira... or what ablout Masashi? He'd tell the world._

(rolls eyes) **Kira's** the favorite, isn't she?

_Wrong again, actually. Don't you have a job to do?_

What's that?

_(sighs) Gods, Erokay! You've been spending too much time in the sun! Kurima? Her story! Remember?_

Oh, yeah! That's right! Well, you see Kurima might seem like a puppet to you people out there. Am I right? … Well, you'd be wrong.

_Of course she's not a puppet! That would be so unoriginal! Hello? Suna's got the puppets! Not Yukigakure! I mentioned her being a "doll" before. That was only in a basic description, but it should have given you a clue._

Yeah, whatever. Actually she's my twin sister. It's a long, complicated story, involving heartbreak, disease, honor and oaths!

_You play it off as though it wasn't some big accident. _

IT WASN'T AN ACCEDENT!!!

_Touchy… Well, basically, Erokay had a twin sister named… ooh, wait for it… Kurima. Dun, dun, dun! You weren't expecting that one were you?_

Hey! It's **my** back-story!

_Then tell it! Sheesh!_

(clears throat) Like WhatAboutToday said, I had a twin sister, Kurima. She and I were the best of friends!

_(rolls eyes) That would be a lie. He hated her until she got sick! She got Typhoid when they were nine, and Erokay only realized what he had in his sister when he were getting ready to loose her. She was really sick for a long time. Erokay trained extra, like all the time to keep his mind off the time he blew up her favorite doll when they were three, and the time he hit her because she had more friends than him when they were six, and the time-_

**Shut up! **So I trained a lot. What's wrong with that?

_Are you going to tell them what happened next or should I?_

I'll do it! … Okay, so when she was sick I was aloud to see her once ever two weeks, if she wasn't in major-serious condition.

_(rolls eyes) There's no such thing as major-serious condition. You're supposed to be the smart one of the Yukigakure boys. What happened, man?_

Shush! Once, while I was there, she and I made a sacred, unbreakable oath that we would be together forever.

_Pretty dumb idea, if you ask me, considering she was about to __**die**__. You're mom got pissed off at you for that. You could've died the day Kurima did, baka._

We found a way to stay together!

_You mean your dad did. Gods, your mom would've killed him if he hadn't found a way. He was supposed to be watching you the day you made that oath... the dumb-ass._

He saved my sister's life! Kind of…

_More like, he saved __**yours**__. What happened was one night before Kurima was expected to die her father took her and Erokay to the sacred moon-lit steam pool, where they performed a forbidden jitsu. _

Dad sculpted a doll out of melt-free dry ice. We cleansed it and Kurima in the sacred pool under the Aurora Borealis. Then, as Kurima was getting ready to pass on, we sealed her soul into the doll, making them one and the same!

_You forgot to mention, that to do that she had to die that night. Erokay had to help Kurima stab herself in the chest, so he would be able to use the doll in battle. Oh, yeah! And his dad got banished from the village when the village lord found out about it._

I didn't want everyone to know that, Writer! So Kurima and the doll became one and the same, and I was taught how to use her in battle. You would think that I control her with chakra strings, but I don't. Really, it's not quite like I control her at all. It's more like we have this special, sacred bond, and she just dose what I want her to.

_That is, unless you piss her off. Then she can refuse._

We have a **special bond!** I am the only one who can control her. She is one of the greatest weapons of all time!

_Except one little thing…Your souls are interconnected. That means if one of you dies, the other will cease to exist as well._

That won't happen.

_Someone's a little over-confident._

Kurima is indestructible, and she will always defend me.

_Kurima is __**not**__ indestructible. How many times must I tell you that? She has an Archeries Heel, just like every other super weapon! _

Your point is? I'm sure whatever it is, won't show up in this story anyway. I have nothing to worry about.

…

Right?

_No. That's not really quite right._

What?! What is it?! TELL ME!!! I can't loose my Kurima!

_Are you kidding me? I'm not going to give away a spoiler like that! Geeze! Who do you think I am? An editor? I don't think so! You'll just have to be on your guard._

You'd tell Kira what **her** fatal flaw is!

_I would __**not!**__ Look, Kira is not my favorite character anyway!_

You're lying!

_Why do I even try to work with you? If you __**must know**__, my favorite character is Judo._

What?! That kid?! He only shows up like, once in the whole story! He was a spare-of -the-moment character!

_So? He's still cute. And besides, Gaara's too cool to not have any admirers. _

I'm cool! Do I have any admirers?

_(shrugs) How should I know? _

You're the writer! I thought you knew everything!

_I do. Well, everything that's important, anyway. Why don't you ask the readers?_

Well, readers? Do you love me as much as you love Kazekage-sama? ... As for you, WhatAboutToday, I hate you.

_Yeah, yeah. You __**and**__ your creator. I don't have time for this. I have a story to write._

Fine!

_Great!_

Bye!

_Looser… Thanks for reading, everybody! Until next time, just remember: Reviews keep me going! A lack thereof makes Judo cry! You wouldn't do that to him now, would you? Later! XD_


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Not even a little.

Hi there! How are you all doing? I'm doing pretty well, as I'm so happy to bring out this chapter! So much darkness lingers in Suna at the moment… This was the ideal opportunity to bring in something I wanted to do, but wasn't sure I would be able to fit in. I'm so exited! Squee!!! I really hope I can keep updating frequently, but school has started and my geometry teacher is the biggest bitch on the face of the planet. Way too much homework…

I thank my wonderful reviewer:

JVOP

For reviewing! Judo loves you almost as much as he loves Gaara! And that's saying something! Woo Hoo!

One more thing: this chapter should mark about the half-way point in the story... if everything goes as it should. (Personally, I'm not really holding my breath.)

So now with no further adue: on with the chapter! Enjoy!

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**-Part VII- **

"So what you're saying is you want us to…"

"Escort the Kazekage away from Suna for two days."

Erokay nodded slowly, still thinking. "And a team from your village can't do this because…"

Temari sighed. "Because we're busy, and you're not on vacation."

The three snow shinobi stood outside the Kazekage's study with Temari, having been called there, but not permitted to enter. Apparently, Gaara was too busy at the moment to see them in person.

"So where are we going?" Masashi asked excitedly.

Erokay smiled, rolling his eyes. "We haven't even accepted yet, Masashi."

Temari answered regardless, "In the general direction of the Water Country. It'll take you out of the desert in only a few hours."

Masashi's eyes twinkled passionately. Erokay looked more interested than he had in anything in several hours. Kira didn't even seem to be listening. She leaned against the wall next to the study door, expressionless.

"Did you just say the Water Country?"

The blond nodded.

A toothy grin spread across the male snow Jonin's face. "We accept, Sweet-heart!"

Temari raised one eyebrow. "Good. But don't ever call me Sweet-heart again." She handed Erokay a small manila folder. "This explains everything else. Oh! And my brother will be accompanying you."

"Duh," Masashi laughed. "He's the whole point of the mission, isn't he?"

The blonde's cheeks reddened slightly, not with embarrassment, but with frustration. "I meant my _other_ brother."

"Oh…" Masashi blushed. "Yeah."

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The tiring day came to an end, and the Snow-nin got as much rest as they could, preparing for the morning to come. That is to say the boys did.

Kira spent much of the night reading and thinking about the day's events. _If I carried more water, then I could fight more efficiently. The cost of the upgrade would be more weight to carry. If I doubled the water supply, I would have twelve gallons of water at my disposal. The question is if I do that, will the water still compress as effectively in the canister? How long would I have the chakra to wield that much ice? Would the chakra necessary be overweighed by efficiency of having more to work with? Would the ice still hold as sturdy if I had more of it to concentrate on?_ She glanced out the window at the star-filled sky. _Strength will be essential against the currant enemy. What is stronger? More weaponry, or more precision? _

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The sun had only been up three hours when the Kazekage's company arrived at the edge of the Water Country.

They gazed out across the rocky cliffs and sparkling blue-green lake. The day was shaping up to be a nice one, and that put everyone in good spirits for the little "experiment mission" they were on. Everyone, that is, except Kira.

"Cool it, Kira!" Erokay grinned, punching the frowning Jonin playfully on the arm. "I love this place!" He took in a deep breath of clear, cool air. "Now, _this_ is a good vacation spot!"

"Yeah!" Masashi cheered. His face was pink with a mixture of excitement and old sunburn from his second day in Suna.

As the Kazekage looked across the line of his companions, he noticed for the first time the changes they had made over their short stay in Suna.

Erokay was tan and dressed in made-for-heat cream and brown hued clothing, his dark hair streaked with the slightest touch of lighter brown from his recent days in the sun, and he seemed to have grown at least an inch taller.

Masashi was clothed in similar tan garments. His face was pink and healthy, and his awkward braid has been shaved off.

Even Kira had changed. She sported a black pair of pants, shortened as is normal for shinobi wear, and a cream colored top with deep purple trim. Her hair and completion remained basically unchanged, although she was no longer quite so sickeningly pale.

Gaara wondered curiously why any person could bare to live in a place so far north the sun isn't up long enough to give you a healthy completion. He would surly go insane in a place as dreary as that, although he had once gone insane in Suna, despite the cheery sun light, anyway.

When the Kazekage glanced back over at his companions, Masashi and Erokay were on either side of their icy companion, shaking her vigorously, pleading for something. Gaara hadn't been listening, so he knew not what. It was a rather interesting sight, though.

The boys on either side of Kira were obviously irking her beyond measure. She scowled at the gorgeous lake before her, her arms crossed tightly in front of her chest. "We are on a mission. Grow up." She stated flatly, her voice more chilling, if it was possible, than normal.

"Oh, come on, Kira-sensei!" Masashi whined. "You only live once! And Kazekage-sama can take care of himself!"

"Besides," Added Erokay, "The only reason we're here at all is so Suna can prove whether or not the murderer is after Kazekage-sama. It's not like we're going to have a lot to do!"

"No." The snow kunoichi was not about to back down.

Kankuro was smiling, having been listening; he knew what the argument was about.

"Just for a little while?" Masashi pleaded, plumping out his bottom lip and giving his female sensei the bambi-eyes.

"No."

"I'll stop disrespecting you, Sensei."

"You should do that anyway."

"I could do anything you want me to."

"Like I said,"

"You could be the leader of the team instead of me!" Erokay added desperatly.

"You don't mean that."

"No! I really would pass the leadership to you! If you let us-"

"Stop." Kira spoke with such finality, even Masashi stopped tugging. "You are shinobi, not children. You know what kind of force we're working against and you know better than to waste time _playing around_. I don't want to hear another word about anything trivial like _swimming_ on this mission again. Understood?"

Kira rarely spoke at all, little alone that much. Gaara figured she must have been at the end of her fuse to rant that way. Her teammate and student seemed to realize this too, and backed away instantly.

Silence overtook the group. Several minuets passed without as much as a grunt from either of the snow shinobi.

Finally, Kankuro could take no more of the awkward quiet. "Let's have breakfast." He announced.

"Yeah!" Masashi grinned. "What are we having?"

"Temari made us sandwiches." Kankuro answered.

"Yes! I love sandwiches!"

The puppet master laughed. "When I said 'we' I meant me and Gaara-san. I have no idea what you're having."

"Oh." the young snow-nin looked expectantly at Kira. "So what are we having?"

Kira shrugged. "I'm not your mother." She pulled a paper bag out of her pack. "I'm having spring rolls."

Masashi's face fell. "I didn't make myself anything." He admitted the obvious.

"No worries," Erokay smiled. "I made you a sandwich."

No sooner had Masashi bitten into his sandwich, than the whole morning went straight to Hell.

The cliff wall exploded!

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I know… a cliffy. I'm sorry. I had to… This was already four pages long, I could have shortened the events, but alas: I couldn't do that to myself. The next bit of this is the part I was so looking forward to. I hope it's worth the wait you may have... big important stuff there… School always gets in the way with this sort of thing. I have already written the next chapter though, so it should be around pretty soon. After all the editing and stuff, you know.

Just incase it wasn't clear, the meeting with Temari in the beginning was at the end of the day of that fight with those wacky white-clad dudes. I must be a strange one, because I just love those guys! They're so dumb! lol

Yeah… so… R&R please, Judo loves to read them, and so do I! Oh, and happy Labor Day too! Later! XD


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Not even a little.

Hello again everybody! Sorry it took so long to get this up. School always gets in the way, and I was out of town this weekend, but enough excuses! I love this chapter!!!! I won't tell you why, as you haven't read it yet. I think you'll see anyway. So I made some stuff up that's really dumb, but I hope that doesn't throw this off for you.

As always, I thank my reviewer:

avatar-chik

For doing your thing. Thanks! Enjoy everyone!

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**-Part IX-**

_No sooner had Masashi bitten into his sandwich, than the whole morning went straight to Hell._

_The cliff wall exploded!_

The massive blast threw the ninja in separate directions. Seconds later, before the dust had even cleared, the company regrouped, scanning the area for enemies. Finding none, the snow Jonin turned to their student expectantly.

"It wasn't me!" Masashi exclaimed, his voice cracking excitedly. "But it sure was cool!"

"Everyone accounted for?" Erokay asked.

"Hai!" shouted Masashi.

"Hai." murmured Kira.

"No!" shouted Kankuro, searching the still dusty surroundings for signs of his brother. "Gaara-san!"

Just when Erokay thought everything was fine, he learned that everything would never be 'fine' again.

As the dust finally cleared, the group found themselves surrounded by no less than twenty shinobi, all of whom were clothed entirely in white right to their full-face masks.

_Great!_ Erokay thought. _Not these guys again!_

The very instant the snow-nin and Kankuro's eyes fell on their explosive enemies an inevitable fight broke out. It played out much like the last, as there were no white-clad shinobi alive after the struggle at Suna's northern gate to learn a lesson from it.

Erokay allowed his final enemy to live as the last survivor, injured, pinned to the shattered cliff wall by Kurima. He immediately began to interrogate the masked man as the others attended to each other and the bodies of the fallen enemies.

"Report." ordered Kira.

"I'm good." grunted Masashi.

"Me too." called Erokay from his interrogation area.

"This is bad." Kankuro said, glancing around at his surroundings nervously. "Gaara-san is gone. He must have been thrown off the cliff in the explosion!"

"Good." Replied Kira flatly. "He's fine down there."

"No!" Kankuro shook his head vigorously. "You don't understand."

"What's there to not understand?" Masashi reasoned.

"He can't swim!"

"Then why didn't you go in after him?!" The snow Geniin shrieked.

"I-I can't swim either!"

The next moment was hard for Erokay to describe later; so many things happened all at once. Masashi gasped. The white-clad shinobi died. Kurima vanished back to her scroll. Kankuro didn't breathe or move at all. Erokay spun around just in time to see Kira dive off of the cliff into the still so-blue water below.

>> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> 

_Splash!_

Kira hadn't thought about the consequences involved with diving into strange water. The Kazekage was later secretly glad she didn't. Had she, she may not have jumped, and Gaara may very well have died… again. And this time, there'd be no guilty old woman to sacrifice herself for him. This time, he'd be dead for good.

But Kira hadn't thought. She had acted.

The young kunoichi swam though the water, which was much dirtier up close than from the height of their lunch spot, searching for the Kazekage. She found him floating just above the muddy lake floor. She wrapped his arm around her shoulders, fighting back a private shudder, and kicked up.

Gaara weighed more than Kira did, and with his sand-filled gourd strapped across his back, he weighed them down even more. Again, Kira acted. She slipped a kunai out of her side pack and cut though the gourd strap, setting the immobile Kazekage free, and leaving the gourd to drift lazily back towards the bottom.

She kicked again, her lungs only beginning to scream for the air above her. Had Kira thought about it, she might have been proud of her strong swimming abilities, but thinking wasn't high on the priority list as her lungs throbbed to do their job. Instead, she swam like her life depended on it, which it did, and quickly broke the surface.

>> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> 

The others dashed around to the beach below the cliffs on the opposite side of the lake. They watched silently, waiting for the Kazekage and Kira to resurface. For several minuets nothing happened.

The three shinobi were seconds from panic when the second splash came.

>> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> 

_Splash!_

Kira surfaced about twenty yards from the shore, gasping for breath. The Kazekage slumped, his arm still around his savior's shoulders. It took the kunoichi split-seconds to realize that he wasn't breathing. She didn't have time to swim to shore. Something had to be done. _And it has to be done now._

She propped the sand shinobi up against her left arm, made a single hand sign with her right and slammed her hand into his chest. Instantly, Gaara came to life, coughing and hacking up inhaled water. It took him a moment to realize where he was. When he did, he croaked, "What the fuck just happened?"

"How is it possible for a ninja to not know how to swim?" Kira scolded. She didn't wait for an answer. She didn't even want to know.

Together, Kira helping Gaara considerably, they swam for the last few yards until they could touch the muddy bottom. There, Kira offered no further help. She separated the Kazekage's arm from her shoulder and waded ahead without another word.

They reached the shore and found themselves surrounded by the snow-nin and Kankuro.

"Damn," Kankuro sighed. "I thought you were nuts, Kira-san. But that was a pretty damn good move there."

"Yeah!" added Masashi. "I didn't know you knew any medical jitsu!"

"That wasn't a medical jitsu, Masashi." Erokay smiled. "That was an attack. Kazekage-sama will more than likely have a nasty bruise the size of Kira's hand on his chest after this."

"Oh." Masashi thought about this for a moment. "Erm, Kira-sensei? Can we… maybe go swimming after all? You know… because you got to?"

"There is a gourd lying on the lake floor. It belongs to Kazekage-sama."

"We'll find it!" Masashi yelped, making a mad dash for the shimmering water. "Don't you worry about it, Kazekage-sama, sir!"

Erokay splashed into the calm water excitedly after his student.

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What think, everybody? Do you like it as much as I do, or am I even more off my nut than usual? lol

Hint: Pay attention to the 9th paragraph. Even though it seems over exaggerated, it really means something. Ok? Look back if you're not sure what I'm talking about.

Judo will love you eternally if you would review please! Later!!!


	11. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Nope.

OMFG!!! I finally got this chapter done! I'm SO SORRY to everyone for making you wait this long. My excuses would be dumb and invented, so I won't give them.

In this chapter, I would like to thank all of you in addition to my reviewers! I have had a total of 25 reviews and 1049 hits and counting! I can hardly believe it! Naruto can hardly believe it! I also want to thank Fred for inventing Erokay and Georgia for all the moral support! You guys rock!

The rest of you are more than likly going to hate me for this chapter, because of the excessively romantic setting and the oh-so-not-romantic events. I'm gonna apologise right now about that one. Sorry!

Oh, yeah and: Underlined writing is a flashback or memory that only one character can see. If more that one character can see it, it will be marked as a flashback and will not be underlined.

Ok, enough writer-ranting. On with the fic! Enjoy!

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**-Part X-**

Night came slowly and uneventfully over the company.

Kira slipped away from the dwindling fire long after dusk, when everyone else had long ago gone to bed. She stood at the edge of the marvelous rock formation they named camp, among the still serenity of the sleeping world. A half-full moon surrounded by stars glowed brightly above her, their reflections dancing lazily on the water below. A soft wind blew across her face, pushing ice-blue hair out of her unfocused eyes.

She saw nothing in that moment, felt nothing. It would have been nice, had she not been disturbed by the relentless nagging of her mind. She always thought everything through before making a single move. Always. Without a doubt. Her strongest ability had always been the ability to think clearly and quickly on the move. It was an ability that had saved her life more than once. So why, her mind pleaded incessantly, had she acted without thinking today?

The kunoichi pondered on for several more minuets, and would have even longer, had she not heard footsteps behind her. She spun on a dime whipping a kunai out of her pouch and throwing it directly at the intruder.

Silence.

Moments later a figure walked out of the shadows holding Kira's kunai in one hand, with the other hanging casually at its side.

"You sure are lucky I expected that," The Kazekage said, quietly, softly. He placed the weapon in his own pouch and stepped forward to stand next to his attacker. "You shouldn't be up so late, you know. It's bad for your health."

"I am on watch, Kazekage-sama. Save your sympathy." Kira stated, turning her stony eyes on the crimson haired shinobi.

Gaara looked into them, fighting the temptation to turn and leave. "That is not what your team leader told you."

The snow Jonin said nothing. The evening air was not quite still, but just still enough to be uncomfortable to the kunoichi. She looked out over the shadowed landscape before saying, "Why do you care?"

"Who said I did?" Gaara retorted smoothly. "I just don't sleep much. Never really learned how."

"You're soul is damaged."

_Way to change the subject,_ thought Gaara. "How's that?"

"You died."

She didn't sound like she cared, and Gaara was sure that she didn't, but he told the story anyway.

When he was finished sharing his tale in-a-nutshell of a child who was never loved because of what was inside of him, Kira looked directly into his eyes and said, "How lucky for you,"

_What?!_ The Kazekage exclaimed to himself.

"It must have felt good to have something to blame for everything." The kunoichi's stare hardened. "I had no such luxury."

Gaara stared. "What are you on about?"

A small girl, no older than seven years, ran home from training, tripping over uneven sidewalk but paying no mind. Today was a very important day, so her father said. She hoped it had something to do with her birthday, which had come and gone a week previously with little notice, or perhaps with her joining the Geniin community the same day, also virtually unnoticed. She pushed her short, ice-blue hair out of her dark grey eyes as she raced up the path to her home. 

Kira stared at the moon. "I have no demon to blame for the things that I have done."

They had to die. They had to see what they had done; death was the only proper punishment. The small girl slashed through person after person blindly. Father, Uncle, Sensei, Village Lord-sama, the Jonin as a whole, the village elders, the clan officials, the clan instructors, everyone who knew her and some who didn't.

Gaara sighed. "Whatever you did, the only one who needs to learn to forgive you is you. After that, who cares what everyone else thinks?"

"You couldn't understand. We are not the same."

"I'd know for sure if you told me something. I'm here to listen."

The snow kunoichi's fingers curled ever so slowly into fists. "Rest." She ordered, looking over at the Kazekage with eyes so cold, and so angry, Gaara found himself transfixed.

"I'll give the orders around here." _Hold your ground._ "Explain."

"That's why I hate people," Kira growled, "You haven't got the right to know. I don't care who you are, you're all the same. Greedy, selfish, close-minded and judging. Human kind as a whole shouldn't exist. You stay the hell out of my way, Kazekage-sama, or I swear I will not hesitate to kill you."

"Now I know we are the same. I could help you." As the Kazekage looked at this fury-filled kunoichi he noticed for the first time what his brother had told him on the Snow team's fist day in the desert. Kira was pretty. _Very pretty_ as it s happened. He wondered, despite himself, what that smooth, flawless face would look like with a smile.

"Get out of here," The icy girl breathed, her eyes cutting into Gaara's like the most deadly knife, "Now."

"Do not give me orders, solder. Now go to bed. Now."

The Jonin left in a huff without another word.

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Awwww… Gaara thinks Kira's pretty. I'm so bad at cute, and romantic. I almost put a whole lot more in here, then I almost put a whole lot less in here, then a friend suggested this layout. Beautiful! I luv you Georgia! Thanks for the help! So there'll probably be a bonus chapter soon, and then the second (and much shorter) half. (That is going to be several chapters long.)

Judo would love you forever if you would review, and so would I! Later! XD


	12. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Not even a little.

Hello again my wonderful people! dodges thrown rocks and vegetables Yeah, I know I haven't updated in a while, and I'm sorry. smiles weakly At last this chapter is three pages long! (Please don't hurt me)

As always, I love to thank my wonderful reviewers, although it's been so long they probably don't even remember the review they left….

avatar-chik

Laur3 Sincl4ir

Dragon of Twilight

You most of all, don't hurt me please. I'm much more exited about what this chapter sets up more than what actually happens here… lol That happens to me a lot it seems. OK, I'm done apologizing! On with the fic!

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**-Part XI- **

Kira could only be described as less than pleasant the following day as the party returned to Suna. It was not unusual for the kunoichi to only speak when spoken to, and to be the dark figure in the background of every scene, but as the team reentered the desert Erokay noticed that his teammate was unusually still and angry.

"Kazekage-sama," The friendlier Snow Jonin said after the company walked through the village gate. "May I speak to you in private today?"

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow, but nodded in agreement. The others went in separate directions, mumbling various excuses for retreat. Erokay followed Gaara silently into the Kazekage study.

The Kazekage sat in his red chair and looked at the other expectantly.

"It's my teammate, sir." Erokay began looking not at Gaara's eyes, but at the familiar patch of wall behind his head.

"Yes?"

"She seems unlike herself today. And yesterday as well, as a matter of fact."

"How so?" It was obvious that the crimson haired shinobi knew exactly how Kira was acting oddly, but he wanted answers beyond this conversation. If Kira wouldn't give them, then maybe her teammate would.

The dark haired boy took a deep breath. "It may not seem noticeable to you, sir, because she is always fairly quite, but Kira was really seething today on the journey home. I'm not really sure why but I do have a theory."

Gaara sighed. "As do I,"

Erokay jumped. "Really? Wh-what is it?"

"She and I got into a bit of an altercation late yesterday. It is possible she is still angry at me for that."

"Oh," Erokay sighed. "If that's all,"

"What is your theory?" The Kazekage interrupted.

"Well, yours makes more sense, Kazekage-sama. I don't want to bother you-"

"I am not bothered at all, Erokay. I assume this is important."

The Snow Jonin sighed. "This is not exactly a terribly good time of year for my village, but particularly Kira. Something happened… well, there's a whole week of mourning in Yukigakure because of this… and it starts tomorrow."

"What happened?"

"It is sort of a difficult subject to discuss… but Kira's birthday is tomorrow, and she really has never had a proper party or anything because of the village mourning."

"She is bitter because the village mourns on her birthday?"

Erokay rubbed his eyes nervously. "Not exactly... It really is a long story, sir. I don't know where to start."

"I have time." Gaara gestured to a wooden chair for Erokay to sit in. The dark haired shinobi did not sit.

"I guess we should start around the time Kira turned seven. That is, after all, the first day of mourning. I didn't know Kira then, so all I know is what was made public. Kira turned seven on a Saturday. Her Geniin examination was six days after that."

"She was young,"

Erokay nodded. "The youngest ever in Yukigakure. No one knows what happened in the days between her birthday and her examination day. We can only assume that something had gone horribly wrong inside of her. On the day of her examination, Kira ran home exited, of course, for being such a promising shinobi. With her new headband, she had brought one more bit of honor to her clan. The Ukuniki clan is renowned for turning out excellent ninja, or at least they were then."

"What went wrong?" Gaara leaned forward in his chair. What had she done? He thought of the conversation he held with her the previous night._ 'I have no demon to blame for the things that I have done.'_

"No one knows. No one that's still _alive_ anyway." Erokay swallowed hard. "That day, only the gods and Kira know what she came home to. That day… Kira killed over two hundred people from our village. She killed everyone she had ever known. It is said that she killed her father first, followed by people in power, like the village lord of the day, and her examiners and teachers. It was terrible."

Gaara's mouth hung agar slightly. _Two hundred people?_ He silently exclaimed. _That rivals my own past. All in one day to boot! What kind of shinobi is she?_

"They call that day The Day of the Crimson Snow." Erokay continued quietly.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" The Kazekage inquired, his eyes narrowed with deep thought.

"Kira doesn't talk about it, Kazekage-sama, but I know she thinks about it often. I get uneasy this time of year. My teammate is known to be unstable. The village leaders fear that she will snap and suddenly kill us all. Our village isn't very large as you know, sir. The Day of the Crimson Snow hurt us badly. The Ukuniki clan will never recover. They were once the most respected clan in the village, but now… the only ones that remain live in shame of who they are related to. She had that look in her eye today sir, the look of a _killer_."

The shinobi sat in silence for a moment, both involved in their own thoughts. Finally, Gaara found his voice. "What do you expect me to do with this information?"

The other shrugged. "It's good that we are here and not home this week for a start, sir." He looked at the ground. "It's been seven years, almost to the day, but Kira still deals with the ridicule and hatred every time she comes home. It gets even worse this time of year. To put it frankly, she is nearly always put on the most dangerous missions in hope that she will be killed on the battle field."

"Yes." The Kazekage nodded, knowing the feeling all too well. "We should make her comfortable tomorrow. You said she has never had a proper birthday?"

Erokay nodded slowly.

"My siblings will assure she gets one this year."

The Snow Jonin looked up quickly, his mouth hanging open. "Really?"

"We do not mourn the losses of other villages seven years after the fact here. It is simply unnecessary."

Erokay sat in silent disbelief for a moment, and then, "And I thought I wasn't going to like you, but you know how to run a village, Kazekage-sama." He grinned. "And you're a good man."

Gaara didn't know what to say, so he nodded and said, "Dismissed."

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I was seriously inspired to include Kira's birthday by avatar-chik's fabulous Gaara x OC story, Letters from a Forgotten Friend. I had always known when the whole mourning thing would be (you know, starting on Kira's b-day), but I only just now decided that Kira deserves a party. (and the refresher has gotten me thinking of this story again which is good) So this next chapter will not have as much to do with my original plot as this one, but I think I can make it work.

I hope to have the next chapter in before Christmas, as I have more time for BS-ing this week than normal...

Oh, yeah, and my birthday just passed too, speaking of! On the 15th. YAY! I lived a whole other year! WOO!

If you would R&R, Judo and I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks a lot! XD


	13. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Not quite… I do own the volume one of the manga, though. -

Yo my Homies! Yes, this is another update! Happy late Christmas!!! I meant to get this written and up a few days ago, but I'm too lazy to write more often than not. Yes you already know this. Well, I guess I should apologize right here for this chapter because it really isn't my best, or longest. Sorry, my friends. Do not fear, however, because the next one will be up and living in the next few days and the end is finally in sight! YAY for new computer!!!

I want to thank my wonderful reviewers for doing what you do:

avater-chik

stargazer101

Thank you eternal! Here we go….

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**-Part XII- **

In the next hours to come, the three siblings of the Sand made themselves very busy. _Perhaps it was an unnecessary effort,_ thought Gaara dully as he pondered much later on the events of the Kira's 15th birthday.

All had gone well in the evening hours of the previous night, and up until the late afternoon of that day. Kankurou labored away on a cake, as Temari was banned from ever using the kitchen again after that incident several years before with the potatoes and the pudding. (The Kazekage shuddered at the mere thought.) Temari kept purposely sending the Snow ninja out for this or that to keep Kira away from the house.

Gaara, himself had much less gratifying work to do. Late in the morning, a Jonin level shinobi, his wife and their new son were found dead in their home, killed in the way of the soul-ripping technique. Children were mixed up in all of his now, and the Kazekage found himself dreading the days to come. There were now six victims, and the final one would probably be him. _Not that I deserve another chance at life, but I can't even fathom the pain of that technique. It must continue to hurt for all of time._ He shook his head.

Despite his brother's unease, Kankurou demanded to go on with Kira's party. He had, after all, baked the cake already.

In the late afternoon, Kira slipped into the house after a very long and tiring trip to the grocery store with an enormous paper bag teetering precariously in one arm. "I am not your house slave." She hissed to Temari as she stormed to the closed kitchen door. She opened it abruptly, and was just about to enter when-

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIRA-SAN!"

Kira dropped the bag, spilling the contents all across the floor in her haste to escape, but Temari shoved her into the room.

There was a small, but neat cake sitting on the table surrounded by a few select people. Kankurou stood proudly to the far right next to Erokay and Masashi. Two men Kira didn't know, but recognized as the Sand siblings' old sensei, Baki and the oldest shinobi in the village stood over the right. The Kazekage lurked in the back of the room, his facial expression hidden by shadows.

"We heard it was your birthday today," started Kankurou happily.

"And that you had never had a chance at a party," finished the old man.

Erokay grinned his happy-go-lucky grin. "So here we are! Happy birthday!"

Kira glanced from face to face in the kitchen until finally her stony eyes fell on Gaara. Finally, she spoke. "What the Hell is wrong with you people?" a long moment of silence passed. "People are dieing, the world is at war, more of your people were killed this very day, and you want to have a _party?!_" She glared at Gaara. "What kind of village do you run here?"

"Hey," demanded the old man. "You could use to be more compassionate young lady. We could put you in prison at any time."

"What?" shrieked Masashi.

"You are under suspicion about all of these killings," explained Baki irritably. "If not for living here where you can be supervised, you would have been arrested already."

"This is an outrage!" exclaimed Erokay. "How dare you? We are here on a diplomatic mission and you suspect us of this crime?" he let out a harsh breath. "After all we've done for you? Kira saved your Kazekage's life just two days ago!"

"You know an exceedingly large amount about our attacker, however." added the old man.

"I understand," said Kira quietly.

"But-" began Erokay.

"I understand." She repeated stubbornly. "It only makes sense to look to those who are knowledgeable in such a forbidden field. I would not expect any less of one of the five great shinobi nations." She stared blankly into the Kazekage's aqua-marine eyes. "If you wish to take me away, I will not protest. I will, however, make certain that the lord of Yukigakure hears of this situation."

Gaara didn't move in the slightest. "No. You are not under arrest. There is not evidence to convict you." He grimaced. "Happy birthday."

Kira rolled her eyes.

The party commenced, however reluctantly.

Later in the evening, long after the party had died down and most everyone had gone to bed Kira found herself still fully dressed sulking outside of Erokay's room waiting for the information that came from the letter that only just arrived from the Yukigakure village lord. Finally, the door slid open and Kira slipped inside.

She found her teammate sitting on his bed looking slightly uncomfortable in his pajamas. She looked at him expectantly. The boy stared at her for a moment before saying, "We, ah… We have a new mission, Kira."

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Yes, a cliffy! Ooh, I'm so exited!!!

There are so many questions left to answer here! What is the new mission? Where dose the KiraXGaara love story come in? What the Hell is going on here? Who is the mysterious killer? And most importantly: Why am I sitting here at 3:15am asking myself questions that I already know the answers to?

Find out soon! (I hope) Review if you would be so kind? Thanks! Later!


	14. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Not even a little.

Hello again, my good friends. Here's to my reviewers!

avater-chik

stargazer101

(drinks toast) Thanks!

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**-Part XIII-**

The Kazekage stared at the bright, star-filled sky from his study balcony. _The moon in nearly full,_ he noticed privately. _I may never get to see it again. I wonder if I'll be missed._ He shook the thought violently from his cranium. What use was it to think of such things? _None at all, _he concluded. The sky was so beautiful that evening. Better, even than most nights in the dissolute wasteland of Suna. The stars glowed brighter than the sun, and the moon resembled a crystal ball of a mystic of old.

The Kazekage sighed, glancing across the shadowy landscape. _No, I would probably not be missed._ He sighed again and thought of the second and third chances he had had. He was given so many opportunities to change himself and to make himself a loveable, touchable, miss able person. He had failed. Horribly. Twice.

He was disturbed from his dreading by a quiet, even voice behind him. "You're time is up, Kazekage." He turned abruptly around to face one of the last people he ever suspected as the killer.

"Kira Ukuniki of Snow," Gaara said quietly.

The Jonin looked at the crimson haired shinobi with eyes of iced steel and said nothing.

"Perhaps I was foolish not to pay more attention to you. So it _was_ you all along?"

Kira's eyes glistened oddly. Gaara could not place the expression hidden in them. "An interesting proposition, Kazekage," the kunoichi said, "But you seem to have come to the wrong conclusion. I am only a solder. I follow the strict orders from my higher-ups."

"You were ordered to do all this?"

"Let me make myself clear before I kill you, sir. I am the most skilled assassin in the north. I am a master killer. However, I am not responsible for the six killings in the past week. You and I may never find the true villain here."

"If you are so skilled, why in the gods' names are you speaking to me instead of doing your job?"

For the first time since the two met, Kira was the one to break the toxic eye contact. She reached into her pouch and pulled out a single kunai. "It is a revocable decision."

"I am one shinobi that you will not be able to defeat head-on," Gaara warned.

Suddenly, Kira slashed around her feet. Sand flew away from her. She chucked the kunai at the Kazekage's face. He caught it too easily with his sand and dropped it to the stone floor. "Your skills suffer due to your unease."

"You don't know a damn thing about me." Kira seethed, striking forward with her fist and hitting the Kazekage firmly in the left eye. He bounced back from the hit instantly and caught the Snow kunoichi around the neck in a head-lock. She struggled, gasping for air for a few seconds before giving up the effort as fruitless.

Together, in an odd sort of way, the pair stood looking out across the nighttime view. Finally, Gaara spoke quietly into his attacker's ear, "If I let you go, will you speak with me peacefully?"

Kira nodded shortly. She was released. She stood beside the Kazekage silently for a long moment. Finally, she spoke. "The lord of Yukigakure has chosen to side with the Village hidden in the Sound."

"I gathered that," said the other, "Do you agree with the decision?"

"I am a solder that dose as I am ordered to do."

"That isn't what I asked. You did not attempt to kill me with all of your ability. Why?"

"I…" Kira hesitated. "I'm not completely certain." She admitted to the horizon. Gaara stared. He didn't know what to say. "It isn't like me to question an assassination mission. It's all I know and how I live."

Gaara nodded. "You will be punished if you fail?" He found he knew the answer before the girl spoke.

"I only exist in this world as a weapon for Yukigakure. That is how my wrongs are tolerated. I will be killed in the most painful way Village Lord-sama can come up with upon my return." The way she said it made a chill run up Gaara's spine. Even now, she showed no emotion in her words, no fear, no regret, nor even anger.

"I am sorry." The Kazekage finally said.

"I deserve it." Replied Kira bitterly. A small girl tottered through the silent village, blood red snow surrounding her along with the white-grey of the rest of her world. The oversized sword in her small hands dripped crimson identical in hue to the tears streaming down her attractive, pale face. Her ice-blue hair fell messily in her dark grey eyes. _It hurts!_ She cried to herself, as no one was there to listen, although had someone been there, she couldn't keep them anyway. People had failed her. The word 'love' could no longer be aloud in this child's life. It was already too late for her. 

"Why do you say that?" Gaara demanded.

Kira stared out across the night sky. "I tried too hard, then not hard enough." She took a ragged breath. "I have nothing to live for anyway."

Gaara sighed. "You have to find your place. We _are_ more alike than you think."

"Yes," it was now barely more than a whisper. "Yes, I know… These stars… They are different from the ones in Yukigakure."

"No," Gaara explained quietly, his voice soft and calm as if Kira hadn't only minuets before tried to kill him, "You are just seeing them from a new perspective."

Kira turned to face the Kazekage solemnly. Gaara opened his mouth to say something, but was abruptly disrupted by Kira whipping a kunai out of her pouch. She threw it just past his right ear, passing so close that Gaara heard a whistle. Then, she grabbed the red-head by the front of his shirt and shoved him to the ground.

Gaara rolled to his back just in time to see Kira activate her ice weaponry technique. She wielded it not at him, but at someone on her other side. Kira stood between the Kazekage and a dark figure. This figure was about twice Kira's size and could have weighed no less than four hundred pounds. He was obviously male, and his gruff laugh chilled Gaara right to the bones.

"And I was told that you might be of some use to me." The man chuckled towards Kira. "I suppose my informer will need to be punished. It doesn't matter really, my little death princess, you will die today anyway."

Gaara could feel Kira trembling with anger. "Who in the Hell do you think you are?" She demanded.

"I go by many names little girl. You may call me Ukuniki Juann, as it would suit your knowledge of the world." The man stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight. He was indeed enormous. He had a small amount of very light green hair and matching whiskers and beard. He was clothed in heavy leather armor. He looked something like the Vikings Kira had read about from times long past.

"You're-"

"Yes, your relative." Juann sneered. "Of a fashion. We are brethren of the noble Devil's Kiss at least, if not blood related."

"How dare you," Kira said, taking half a step backwards.

The man laughed his horrible laugh again and said, "Yes, I will call it by name. Dose your little friend know that you can do it too?"

Gaara looked from Kira to this stranger and back a few times in wonder. Kira pulled her ice sword in front of her in a battle position. "Leave him out of this."

"But he is why I'm here, little princess." He smiled with yellow teeth and placed his hands into several deadly hand signs. Suddenly, a pain like nothing else Gaara could have ever imagined surged through is body. He let out a scream as his insides felt like they were exploding inside of him.

Through blurred eyes, Gaara saw Kira swing wildly at her opponent's right hand, screaming, "No!" She cut Juann's hand clean off. The pain instantly subsided.

The most intense battle Gaara had ever witnessed ensued. Blades and chakra swirled all around, clings and clangs blasted parts of the balcony to bits every few moves. Before Gaara's mind had cleared, Kira had saved his life for the second time in two days.

"Argh!" the Snow kunoichi gasped as Juann's sword embedded itself in her left shoulder. She grasped the blade with her left hand, so tightly that blood dripped from her fingers. "You will not kill Gaara." She insisted through clenched teeth as she struggled to keep the blade from digging deeper into her flesh. "Not like that."

"Really?" Juann jabbed his sword sharply further into Kira's body. The blood-soaked blade stuck several inches out of the back of her shoulder. The girl took in a sharp breath, but her right hand came up forward instantly forming all-too-familiar hand signs. Suddenly, the man called Juann screamed shrilly. He dropped the blade and toppled to the floor screaming and panting like his whole body was boiling. Several moments of this horror continued before the killer lied still and fell silent.

Gaara stood up shakily, almost falling back down due to the weight of the familiarly terrible aura. He stumbled to Kira who was standing exactly where she had been minuets before when she was first stabbed. Gaara faced her and murmured, "What?-"

Kira was staring blankly ahead as if the Kazekage was not even there. Her eyes were glassed over like she was the one who was dead. She was trembling horribly. Slowly, a single crimson tear leaked from her right eye and traced a path down her smooth cheek. Gaara whipped it away gingerly. "Kira?" The crimson haired shinobi carefully pulled the blade from the kunoichi's shoulder.

"Ga-Gaar-"

"Kira!" Erokay stood on the railing to the balcony looking fearful. "What the Hell happened?!" His eyes fell on the completely uninjured Kazekage. "Oh no," He launched himself off of the railing and in a single bound he had grabbed Kira up in his harms and had dived over the side. Gaara leaned against the railing, watching the teammates descend into the night. He knew what he had to do.

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WOW, everyone. I can't believe I just wrote that. That was one of the first images of childhood Kira I ever had. I don't know how many times I had to rewrite that before I was happy with it. lol I can hardly believe that it's almost over. What am I supposed to do with my pathetically unadventurous and Gaara-free life when this is done?

So anyway I have a little tid-bit of info for you all, just in case it wasn't clear. Juann and Kira are both capable of using the "Devil's Kiss" which is a sort of kekke-genkai known only to Kira's clan. Kira didn't kill her whole clan as a child, as it was very large, and she didn't know all of the side branches. That is how it is possible for Juann and Kira to be blood-related.

R&R if you would? Later! XD


	15. Chapter 135

Disclaimer: What do you think?

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**-BONUS CHAPTER-**

_Hello, again my good friends!_

Hello, hello! Masashi here! I'm going to be helping with this bonus chapter!

_Yes and this is going to be a good learning experience for you too, kid._

Who're you calling kid? I'm a full, certified ninja of Yukigakure!

_But you hardly know anything about your senseis. _

I read the last bonus chapter! I know about Erokay-sensei's past!

_This chapter is about Kira's past. Aren't you exited?_

Yes. Please tell me…

_Good. You all have seen small flashes and pieces of Kira's childhood, and Erokay explained it in a nutshell from an outsider's perspective a couple of chapters ago. Everyone up to date with those things?_

Yup.

_So here's what no one but Kira (and I) know. Yay! _

Woot!

_Okay, here we go. Some of this should look fairly familiar because the flashes are in here as well as the other stuff. _

_A small girl, no older than seven years, ran home from training, tripping over uneven sidewalk but paying no mind. Today was a very important day, so her father said. She hoped it had something to do with her birthday, which had come and gone a week previously with little notice, or perhaps with her joining the Geniin community the same day, also virtually unnoticed. She pushed her short, ice-blue hair out of her dark grey eyes as she raced up the path to her home. _

_The girl, called Ukuniki Kira clutched the locket that her father had given her long ago. Inside of it was a picture of the mother Kira had never known. The face looked remarkably like the child's, except for the eyes. The women inside the locket's eyes were a soft grey-blue. They emanated warmth and safety even in the cold, unforgiving northern village. The child's eyes were dark and nervous, as she had never been taught softness by her father. The man was colder than the night and distant from his only daughter. Her sensei explained that he was a busy man. Being the head of a clan is a very tiring job. Kira believed it. The man was her hero, after all._

But why? Why Did Kira-sensei believe that? He was obviously not a good dad to her!

_Well, she was only a child, and is there anyone you like to believe in more than your parents? Our parents are supposed to symbolize safety and trust. Any child would do all they could to believe that forever. _

So what happened next?

_Orzo, Kira's father met her in the courtyard of the dojo. The child smiled at her hero and said, "Hullo, father. Have a good day at work?"_

_The man smiled, "My work is not yet done. I told you that today was special, did I not, Child?" The girl nodded shyly. "The elders have decided that it is time for you to grow into your title as heir to the clan thrown. The ceremonies will begin immediately."_

Ceremonies? Why do I have a bad feeling about this, WhatAboutToday?

_Because you're smarter than you look._

Hey!

_As Masashi rightly suggested, these ceremonies were of the worst sort. Orzo and Kira were put against each other in a horrible fight. The winner would have the right to control the clan, and the looser would die. _

Shiite!

_Kira almost lost. If it hadn't been for Orzo's pride, Kira would have died a horrible death. In the moment where Orzo followed the ancient tradition of the final blow being that awful technique, he looked away for a split-second to grin at his victory. Kira fought the unbearable pain of her soul being ripped to bits and stabbed her father and hero in the chest. The pain subsided, but Kira completely lost her mind. Not only had she not killed another human before, but she loved her father dearly and could not have imagined that he would hurt her so. _

Is this where Erokay-sensei's story comes in?

_Yes. In the next few hours, only one thing crossed the girl's mind. _

_They had to die. They had to se what they had done; death was the only proper punishment. The small girl slashed through person after person blindly. Father, Uncle, Sensei, Village Lord-sama, the Jonin as a whole, the village elders, the clan officials, the clan instructors, everyone who knew her and some who didn't. _

Boy, I sure am glad that I didn't know her.

_Treat her nicely; she really hasn't healed from this experience. _

Noted.

_Finally, her rampage was over, and there was no one left to save her. _

_The small girl tottered through the silent village, blood red snow surrounding her along with the white-grey of the rest of her world. The oversized sword in her small hands dripped crimson identical in hue to the tears streaming down her attractive, pale face. Her ice-blue hair fell messily in her dark grey eyes. It hurts! She cried to herself, as no one was there to listen, although had someone been there, she couldn't keep them anyway. People had failed her. The word 'love' could no longer be aloud in this child's life. It was already too late for her._

That's terrible! Why was she crying blood, anyway? She did it last chapter too.

_That technique is no walk in the park. It isn't designed to allow the victim to live. Kira was the first ever to live through it, and every time she uses it now, she begins to bleed because it hurts her as much as it hurts the victim. _

And Kazekage-sama lived through it too. Is he going to go off his nut as well?

_(shakes head) No, I doubt it. He is much more stable now than he used to be, and he didn't feel the "Devil's Kiss" for half as long as Kira did, nor did he feel it at such a tender age. _

Okay. I get it now. What about everything else? I mean, there's still things to explain before the fic is over, aren't there?

_Well, I guess so, but this chapter was supposed to be about Kira's past…_

What about present? I mean, people must be wondering how I ended up in a three-person team with two Jonin instead of Geniin like myself.

_Fine. Explain it fast, though. We don't have time to fool around. _

Yay! Okay, I was the odd ball of my graduating class. There weren't two other new Geniin to be my teammates, so I was ordered to be with Erokay and Kira. There, I feel better now.

_Good for you. Now I'm going to go and start writing (sniff) the last two chapters of this story. R&R if you feel so inclined. Later!_

Oh, and I won't be returning in this story because I was sent ahead of the others back to the village so that I wouldn't get in the way. (rolls eyes) Yes, so farewell, my friends and devoted fans! You will be missed! (blows kisses) Goodbye!


	16. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Nope.

Happy New Year! This is a bit later than I originally intended… I meant to post at midnight last night, but I went over to a friend's house for a party and couldn't get to computer. lol The flash back in this chapter was an idea from avatar-chik. She thought it would be affective, and I agree! Thanks avatar-chik!

More thanks to my reviewers:

stargazer101

avatar-chik

JTomoyasu

Onwards!

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**- Part XIV-**

"How could you fail, Kira?" Erokay puffed, setting his teammate down on the sandy ground a few yards outside of Suna. He knelt beside her and began to dress her wounds.

"We were played," Kira said through chattering teeth. She had not yet mentally recovered from the fight. "We were played, Erokay. The mission…"

"What do you mean?"

"The mission was A-ranked, and I didn't know why… This was all a game. The mission was ranked so high because the Village Lord knew already what side he would choose."

Erokay looked at the icy girl for a moment. "Even if it's true, it doesn't make up what you did. You should've just let him die, Kira."

The kunoichi said nothing. Her teammate treated her stab wound silently. When he was finished, Kira struggled to her feet.

"What has happened to you?" Erokay asked sternly. "A week ago you would have killed The Kazekage without an order to do so."

"I know," said Kira quietly.

"This isn't good, Kira. I don't want to see you dead."

"I understand."

The shinobi sighed and thought back to the early days.

Erokay plopped onto a stool in the tea shop by the eastern gate. He waited for a few minuets for his new partner. The only one in the shop other than him was a girl. She had ice-blue hair and a somber expression. She looked much too young to be a Jonin, so Erokay discounted her as a possibility for his new temmate. When he gave up and asked the waitress if anyone else had been to the shop in the past half hour, the younger girl looked at him with dark grey eyes.

"You were late," she had said calmly. "Kazukei Erokay. I am Ukuniki Kira, your new partner. If you continue to be late, I will not tolerate working with you."

She eventually got used to his company, and he learned to be on time. Weeks turned to months and the pair became known as unbeatable. Nearly two years later, they were ordered to train a new Geniin named Masashi. Kira didn't like him, but she learned to deal. Erokay was understanding of the boy, and taught him much. The three were respected by all as irreplaceable ninja and Erokay had never felt more alive. Together, they could accomplish anything.

"You are an exquisite ninja, and my best friend. How are we going to get you out of this situation?" Erokay finally admitted.

"You can't," muttered Kira. "There isn't a thing you can do."

Erokay nodded. "Maybe is you turned yourself in-"

"I will be killed." Kira's eyes hardened. "I won't go back there."

"Kira, please. I don't want to see you hunted like an animal."

"Then kill me now, if you have the strength."

In that moment, Erokay saw what he had to do. If Kira returned, she would be killed. If she was left alive, she would be hunted, and then surly found and killed. There was only on thing for the shinobi to do. Kira had to die now in order to find peace, and Erokay had to do it. He took a deep breath. It was the only way. He had to kill his best friend. So he did.

Gaara left the village quickly, heading for the north. His only chance would be to stop the pair in the escape. He couldn't let the Snow kunoichi be lead to her death. She had saved his life more than once. Now was the time to return the favor. He only prayed that he wasn't already too late.

Erokay reached behind his teammate's head and untied her headband. He rubbed her blood-soaked left hand across the metal and murmured, "You are now dead to my world. Find peace, my friend."

Kira stood, mouth open, unsure of what to say. She watched her teammate put her headband in his pouch and look back into her eyes. "What are you doing?" she said, breathlessly.

"The official record will say that you were killed in your attempt to assassinate the Kazekage." Erokay said quickly. "Your headband will serve as proof of that. I won't be questioned."

"Erokay… This is treason. If you're caught, you'll die a horrible death."

The boy smiled. "I know. I don't care. Besides, no one can live forever." He wrapped his arms around the trembling figure in a final embrace.

"Thank you, my- my friend." Kira said quietly.

Erokay smiled, touched by the comment he had never heard before from his teammate. "Oh, and one more thing," He stepped away from her and said, "How does the word, _revolution_ sound to you?" He grinned once more before holding his hands up in a hand sign. "I think it's about time for one back home. And seeing as you're dead, I don't feel endangered by writing to you with updates on Sound's movements."

A tiny, almost invisible smile crossed Kira's lips. "I like that word."

"I knew you would." The Snow shinobi looked past his teammate and called, "Take care of her, you here? Or you'll have to answer to me, eh?" Then in a puff of cool air, he was gone.

Gaara came up to the pair just as Erokay was disappearing. He had heard the comment that was directed at him, and smirked when he came up next to the kunoichi to whom he owed a great dept. "You're a good man too." He said to the evening air.

Kira swayed and collapsed to the ground from blood loss and chakra depletion. She sat staring, still unable to believe what had just happened. Gaara knelt down in front of her with one hand outstretched. "Come with me?"

"I don't have a purpose." Kira admitted. "Everyone needs a reason to live."

"Yes, we do. But I believe that you will find it. You aren't as lost as I was, and here I am." Kira gingerly put her and in his. The Kazekage wrapped the bleeding palm in a handkerchief and stared into her troubled eyes.

"What do you live for?" The girl finally whispered.

"I live a life connected to my village. I want to be remembered as a good Kazekage when I'm gone, instead of just that monster, or my father's mistake."

Kira nodded. "That is a good purpose…" Gaara nodded and lifted the kunoichi to her feet. He wrapped her right arm around his shoulders and braced her other shoulder with some of his sand. She winced, but did not cry out. Together, the two broken shinobi walked back to Suna.

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One chapter left to go. I think I'm going to cry… sniff

I almost ended this chapter right where Erokay decided that he had to kill Kira, but it was much too short. Heh, heh… If there is anything that you think is still in need of a good explaining, tell me in a review. I think I'm not missing anything important, but I make mistakes frequently. Thanks a lot guys. 3


	17. Chapter 15 Here is the end

Disclaimer: What do you think?

Holy crap on a stick in the middle of a snowstorm in North Carolina in June! I can't believe this is the end! So here's to you, all of you who are reading this right now. (drinks toast) I want to thank especially those who ever reviewed to this story:

JVOP

lovefatedestiny

stargazer101

avatar-chik

Ugly.Beautiful

The Intelligence and Violence

Laur3 Sincl4ir

Porthia

Dragon of Twilight

JTomoyasu

Thank you one final time. Finally, here is the last installment of Of Sand and Snow. Enjoy!

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A young woman stood on the roof of the Kazekage tower, looking out across the vast desert. The crimson light of the sun's last hour shined gorgeously on her ice blue hair, and reflected against Suna's buildings making the village look like a sanctuary from the very essence of the heavens.

A light wind caressed her face. She clutched a letter in her cold hands excitedly. Her hands were always cold, regardless of living in the desert. The letter, which was the third of many, had come less than an hour previously from the only person in the north that the woman could ever trust. His name was Kazukei Erokay. He was the single good person in all of the darkness of much of the young woman's life. His letter was about the revolution in Yukigakure, which had not yet occurred, but was coming in the following months.

Behind the icy girl stood a shinobi with hair that matched the sunset, the Kazekage. He softly spoke to the young woman, "Kira," Kira, yes, that was her name. Kira, just Kira. She had no clan, no roots, no homeland, but she did have two things. The first was her friend from the north, Erokay. The second was the man behind her. She cherished both dearly.

He stepped forward, and put a pale hand on her arm. "How are you feeling?" It was a simple question with a very complex answer.

"Better," Kira managed, turning around to face the Kazekage.

"Your shoulder?"

"Fine." It had been three weeks since Kira was stabbed, but the Kazekage seemed to think that the wound would never heal. "Gaara-" she was interrupted by the crimson haired boy looking away from her, to stare instead at the village behind and below her. "What?"

"Nothing," He said quietly, looking ashamed, "I was just thinking…"

"What is it?"

"I-" The shinobi looked back into the kunoichi's dark grey eyes. He seemed unable to say what was on is mind. He struggled for a moment before suddenly grabbing her chin in his hand and pressing his lips against hers. He pulled back instantly, and looked away. "S-sorry."

Kira stared at him, trying to pull herself together. She finally found her voice and said, so softy that Gaara thought he must have heard wrong, "Kiss me again."

He looked up, wide eyed. "Wha?"

"Kiss me." Kira closed the distance between them, and pressed her lips into the Kazekage's awkwardly. Neither knew what to do for a moment. Then, as if a spell had been cast upon them both, instinct took over. Kira's arms snaked around Gaara's neck, pulling him against her. His hands found themselves locked around her waist as the kiss deepened. Their lips separated only when air became a necessity. Neither spoke.

Finally, Kira placed her head on Gaara's shoulder. He leaned down and kissed her forehead softly. Together, they stood in the threshold of the night, welcoming the life where they would have to be alone no longer.

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Hey, look! It's a GaaraXOc! Imagine! I promised, didn't I? And we both thought I'd ever get around to it. I need to practice making-out scenes, don't I? (sighs) Sorry about that my friends.

So, I will be putting up a new story some time soon featuring this couple again, and there will be more romance for them in it, even though it will be mostly NejiTen. Because I love you, and I want to come out of this thing with a bang, here is an excerpt from that story. I think I will call it Before We Die but that may change. I am very bad at choosing names for things. XD

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" the kunoichi muttered to herself. She slipped out of her room and met her teammates in the hallway.

Rock Lee smiled at her broadly when he saw her and exclaimed, "You look amazing, Tenten!" He looked much like he normally did, except he was wearing a dark green and white tuxedo with a long, extravagant tail.

Neji said nothing. He leaned against the wall in his classic black tuxedo. His long hair was tied back a little tighter than usual, but his lavender eyes were just the same as always. He looked quite handsome, Tenten noted, not that she didn't look nice too. Her trade mark buns were replaced by a delicate twist that allowed some wavy locks of hair to fall loose, framing her face. She wore a light blue dress with partially-transparent sleeves that fell just below her elbows.

She smiled and said, "Thank you, Lee. Let's go. We shouldn't be late." No one but Lee seemed at all happy about the situation, but it _was_ a mission and that fact held a lot of weight with Team Gai.

The three met with Kankurou and Temari outside of the ballroom. "Hullo," said Kankurou brightly. "Nice night for a festival, eh? That princess you're watching is inside already." Without anything to keep them out, Neji, Tenten and Lee entered into the biggest party Suna has all year.

During the time skip, nearing the end of it. Gai's not on the mission with them… It'll be a adventure/romance… urm… I guess that's a nutshell thing with this new idea. I'll write the first chapter at some point in the near future, so look for it! Lol

Thanks so much everyone. I really will miss this story. (cries)

Later days! -Later! XD


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